Winter Problems with Equine Coat Conditions

Lana Delaney, DVM Delaneyvetservices.ca.

Professional Background:

We strive to provide timely and courteous communication in regards to your question, concerns and patient results. We seek to educate you, the owners solidifing that the care of your animal is a team effort and we look forward to being a part of it!

Q: A few of my horses get a scaley type of bumps between their front legs and on their chest in winter months. When It is picked off a bit of yellow substance comes with it along with some hair. There are also random clumps over the body but in no particular pattern. Otherwise coat condition is good and they are on a mixed grass bale of Timothy Brome with a bit of Alfalfa. They also have access to a salt lick and plenty of water. What might it be?

and what can I do to treat it? Will it spread?

A: First off skin conditions can be very confusing and difficult to diagnose in
horses. This kind of condition can be due to many different problems such as bacterial, fungal and many other unknowns.

The most common condition with these clinical signs is Dermatophilus Congolensis - commonly referred to as "rain scald" or "rain rot" caused by a bacteria. This bacteria flourishes in wet dirty conditions, such as you would find on a horse in the winter wearing a blanket and in folded skin areas. Usually these lesions are not itchy, the scab is "paintbrush like" and can spread very quickly if not treated appropriately.

Q: How do I treat it? My horses are kept at home and I do not have a barn therefore I am not able to body wash them in winter months.

A: In an ideal situation the horse would be brought into a barn, bathed with medicated shampoo, rinsed well then blow dried off and an antibacterial ointment applied to the affected area. However this doesn't work for most people.

**Most importantly do not "brush" the area this only spreads the bacteria to other areas on the horse**

**Do not 'use' infected brushes on other horses as it can be passed along by brushing

Whenever treating any infection on a horse always wear latex/vinyl gloves so YOU do not transfer bacteria from your skin to a horses wound.

1. Clean the spotted areas with medicated soap such as
   betadine/prepodyne scrub, leave soap on for 5 minutes,
2. Rinse well, towel dry
3. Apply an anti-bacterial cream.
4. If Possible keep blankets off so you can to allow the hair to air out.

This bacteria is not contagious from one horse to another but often horses share
the same environmental conditions and blanket/brush situation thus have the same skin infection.

If the skin condition spreads, the skin becomes swollen/painfull or
does not appear to improve in 1 - 2 weeks then contact your local veterinarian
to work up your horses skin condition, this may involve collection and
submission of skin biopsies, skin scrapings and blood work.

Thank you for your interest in your Horses Health!

Lana

Body Condition and Scoring

Many physiological functions in horses are influenced by body condition including horse’s maintenance, reproductive and exercising requirements. A system called Body Condition Scoring can be used to rate ideal body condition. This condition scoring system is based on visual appraisal and palpable fat cover on six areas of your horse’s body.

A. Along the neck
B. Along the withers
C. Crease down back
D. Trailhead
E. Ribs
F. Behind the shoulder
The ideal body condition
score is between 5 and 6-1/2

1. Poor: Animal extremely emaciated; spinous processes, ribs, tailhead, hip joints, lower pelvic bones projecting prominently; bone structure of withers, shoulders and neck easily noticeable; no fatty tissue can be felt.

2. Very Thin: Animal emaciated; slight fat covering over base of spinous processes; transverse processes of lumbar vertebrae feel rounded; spinous processes, ribs, tailhead, hip joints and lower pelvic bones prominent; withers, shoulders and neck structure faintly discernible.

3. Thin: Fat build up about halfway on spinous processes; transverse processes cannot be felt; slight fat cover over ribs; spinous processes and ribs easily discernible; tailhead prominent, but indidual vertebrae cannot be identified visually; hip joints appear rounded but easily discernible; lower pelvic bones not distinguishable; withers, shoulders and neck accentuated.

4. Moderately Thin: Slight ridge along back; faint outline of ribs discernible; tailhead prominence depends on conformation, fat can be felt around it; hip joints not discernible; withers, shoulders, and neck not obviously thin.

5. Moderate: Back is flat (no crease or ridge); ribs not visually distinguishable but easily felt; fat around tailhead beginning to feel spongy; withers appear rounded over spinous processes; shoulders and neck blend smoothly into body.

6. Moderately Fleshy: May have slight crease down back; fat over ribs spongy; fat around tailhead soft; fat beginning to be deposited along the side of withers, behind shoulders, and along sides on neck.

7. Fleshy: Crease down back; individual ribs can be felt, but noticeable filling between ribs with fat; fat around tailhead soft; fat deposited along withers, behind shoulders, and along neck.

8. Fat: Crease down back; difficult to feel ribs; fat around tailhead very soft; area along withers filled with fat; area behind shoulder filled with fat; noticeable thickening of neck; fat deposited along inners thighs.

9. Extremely Fat: Obvious crease down back, patchy fat appearing over ribs; bulging fat around tailhead, along withers, behind shoulders, and along neck; fat along inner thighs may rub together; flank filled with fat.

If you have and concerns regarding the body score or health of your equine companion please contact Delaney Veterinary Services at 780-922-3647, and we can work together to create a herd health program that suits you and your horses needs.


We would also like to welcome a few new staff members to our team:
Myrna Bittner and Darlene Hrchirchuk.
Welcome Ladies!!

How Little Hoof Prints Do Big Things ♥

Hearts and Hooves is a Registered Charity that rescues, rehabilitates, and provides homes formini horses. After they are healthy, they are then brought indoors with the purpose of inspiring meaningful encounters with people in our community.

Hearts and Hooves had a busy year. They had attended a variety of visits to Hospitals, Senior Homes, Special Needs programs, individuals and groups of people of all ages whom benefit from the love, rejuvenation, and joy that the mini horses offer.

“The minis truly spark conversation among people of all ages, which ultimately makes the program rewarding for both the participants and volunteers,” remarks Diane Comeau, a summer student at Hearts and Hooves.

Comeau recounts a story about an elder she had met this past summer:
“At Lynwood we had so little time to visit so many seniors. One of my favorites: Bill. Bill sat infront of a window in his wheelchair all day, every day. He could not respond as he could not move or speak, and was almost completely blind. The recreational therapist was going to skip his room but Roy, the mini, was already making his way inside. So off we went. I took Bill's handand let him pet Roy, but there was no response. Roy enjoyed it, so we figured we would sit and speak with Bill’s daughter until Roy got bored. After a few minutes of relaxing with Bill, Roy put the weight of his head in his hands (he has a big head!) and licked Bill's hands. Bill instantly errupted in laughter. The therapist even called the nurses in to see his excitement. His daughter began to cry. Never had she seen him have a response.”

The volunteers, as young as 11 and as old as 90, spend time at Hearts and Hooves’ home base near Sherwood Park, Alberta. The volunteers are crucial to Hearts and Hooves. They help care for the miniature horses, prepare them for community trips, as well as create the family atmosphere that is experienced at the farm.

“The horses won’t just get into an elevator, let me tell you; it takes a lot of training,” quips Michelle Kropp, executive director of Edmonton’s Hearts and Hooves. Preparing the horses is truly crucial to the success of the visits. They must be willing and able to basically go wherever they are led.

Along with the special training that the miniature horses require to go indoors into hospitals and centres, there is also a pretty penny incorporated with their care. Since they are smaller, they require more visits to the farrier than the average large horse, as well as more visits to the vet to get their teeth floated. Of course, the benefits of having miniature horses far exceeds the cost, so the Hearts and Hooves Team is constantly at work for creating different fundraising activities. Different fundraising events that have happened this year include two Silent Auctions at Average Joes, a booth at the RCMP musical ride, selling flower pots, and much more. For the future, we would like to host a country concert, a pie auction, and have a booth at Farm Fair.
Besides having the horses attend visits, there are also opportunities to adopt them. If you are interested in adopting a mini or in sharing the experiences with other Hearts and Hooves volunteers, call (780) 940-7839 or email at hearts_and_hooves@yahoo.ca. You can also donate, sponsor a horse, or sponsor a visit all of which becomes tax deductible for anythingover $20.
www.heartsandhoovescanada.org